"I wish, I wish I weren't a Fish": A history and painting on the overfishing of the North Atlantic cod and how we are catching ourselves in our own net

Blaschak, Elizabeth

"I wish, I wish I weren't a Fish": A history and painting on the overfishing of the North Atlantic cod and how we are catching ourselves in our own net

Persistent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/10456/41656

Author(s)

Blaschak, Elizabeth

Date Issued

April 4, 2016

Abstract

After continued fishing efforts since the discovery of vast stocks since the 1500s, Atlantic cod have become an overfished species, though its decline was only noticed by fisheries in the mid 1900s. Since the introduction of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery and Conservation Management Act in 1976, several steps have been taken by both the Canadian and United States governments in combating the overfishing of this species. To address the problem at hand and change public perception in the hopes of creating further protective measures, I created a 10 ft. by 5 ft. 4 inch painting. The images within the work aim at placing the viewer into the Atlantic along with a school of cod about to be caught in a massive trawling net. By informing the public, specifically fishermen, lawmakers and consumers of this commodity, the painting may become an impetus for change. These can include choosing alternative gear or marine species, new and improved legislation, and decreased demand for cod due to public refusal to purchase an overfished, vulnerable species.

Major

Environmental Science

First Reader(s)

Pallant, Eric T.